Mechanical binding



Oct. 23, 1951 c. D. TRUSSELL 2,572,681

MECHANICAL BINDING Filed March 17, 1950 INVENTOR. awi/vcz-fl 74 1 :55

Patented Oct. 23, 1951 UNITED BAT MEGHANIGAL meme; ClarenceDi Trussell, Turnwood,.N. -Y.

Application March l'i, 1950}Serial N; 150;220

The invention hereindisclosed r lates o mechanical bindingsof thetYll shown and; der scribed in co-pending patent applications. se flial No. 602,985, filedJuly 3,.1945}.PatentNo. 2.502;; 493, dated April 4, 1950, andSerial No. 1081903. filed August 6, 1949, .in which the binderrrih s-a provided bya series offlexiblefingers projecting: from one side. of' a tubularbackbone orfrili..-andi having their free ends engagedf'in slots. formed"; in the opposite: side of the rib.-

In those particular bind n the fl le Sp i fingers are usually given a "Set? which willcause them to stand inthe open relation ready. tore;- ceivethe' leaves ortlie filler which tQbe 'lidu ldi,

In such constructions, with the-rings. biased in t p g d rection; some 1 mean's'are required; to secure the ends or the fihgersin', therin'g closed position, such as" the. interlocking retainer. 5.110111? ders on the fingers and tubularirib', as disclosed: in those patent applications,

The subject of the present patentfapplicatiom is a mechanicalbinding'ofthe typeconsideredi in which the fingers. hold closed intlieirring forming relation-ofthemselves and without the need for special.lockingorinterlocking elements.

Special objects of" the invention are to provide such a construction in -a-simple,=inexpensive for-in that can be made up at low cost' with simplei inexpensive: equipmentaand which will: be truly practical and efficient in every way.

A further special object of'thQihventiQhiSiii provide astructure which cangbe used either-as a ermanent binder or' be opened up andfused', if desired, as aloose leaf binder;

Other desirable objects attained by the invention are set forth or will appear in the course of the following specification.

The drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification illustrates a present commercial embodiment of the invention. Structure, however, may be modified and changed in certain respects, within the intent and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined and claimed.

Figure 1 in the drawing is an end view of one of the bindings, with the tubular rib portion shown broken away and in section.

Figure 2 is a broken plan view of the binding with one of the ring forming fingers shown in section.

Figure 3 is a broken side elevation of the binding.

Figures 4 and 5 are broken sectional views illustrating die mechanism for opening the normally closed rings and showing such mechanism as first positioned and then as actuated to simultanequslyr open-ant the ring; forming; fingers:

, Figure 6 115,511BRd-" YiQWDMTflY in sectionilluse trailing. the binding-closed.withthe filler sitionl The binding shown is made up of a tubularerlbs:

1 havi g. inte rally attached -,rine.- formin fingersrfi .projeetinezirornon side f he-.same and-1 adapted, in thering donning. relation, ,t v project; into fully-seated engagementjinzslotssfl inibhesflpf" positeside-oi-the same.-, V,

This binding may; be-produced in plastic 011, other; materials; andmay; be .manufactured, ac cording-to. .methods disclosed in co -pending pate" enta p icanoa, Serial No. 150,219, filed 1 Marcht 17,1950.- I r In all events the ring, forming, fingers, which are yielding and, springyin character, ar given a set whichwillicause them to-close and to hold in the. closed ring iormingrelation when the ends re entered mine slot'stin the tubulartrib.

Actually, the fingers may be given-a setkwhich will cause the ends of the same, whenLnot confined, to extend materially beyond? the tubular rib so that whenenterediin the slots, they willl ofi's'et, disclosed in patent application; Serial No: 602,985, so as to require" asli' itilateralshift? ing or displacement of the" ring ends to enter them inthe slots-in the"closing"opera'tion' to ac' complish a binding holding engagement between the ring ends and slots.

For such constructions, special ring closing means may be employed, such as disclosed in copending patent application, Serial No. 150,432, filed March 18, 1950, Patent No. 2,555,947, dated June 5, 1951, arranged to guide and shift the ring ends sufliciently to line them up and permit them to enter the slots.

However, in the present invention, with the strong closing tension of the rings, it is not contemplated that any mechanical interlocking engagement between the ring ends and slots may be required.

With the ring forming fingers strongly biased in the ring closin direction, it is necessary to provide some means for overcoming the spring closing action and to open and hold the rings in opened relation while engaging the filler in the binding.

Means for such purpose are shown in Figures 4 and in the form of a die member ll having a concave seat l2 of greater radius than the normal radius of the rings and a companion die member l3, designed to enter the rings and having a convex face M of substantially the same radius as the concave seat so that the two, in cooperative engagement with the rings, will have a tendency to bend the rings open, as shown in Figure 5.

These dies, as shown, are preferably of only such extent as to efiect opening of the rings and are applied to the root end portions of the rings so as to leave the free end portions of the rings clear for the threading of the leaves or filler thereover. 7

These opening dies merely spring the rings open so that after the leaves are in place the rings will.

said ring forming fingers being flexible and springy in character and set to close to a diameter less than the ring diameter formed by entry of the ends oi th fingers in the slots in the rib and whereby when the ends of said fingers are entered in said slots said fingers will be held engaged in said slots under the spring closing tension imparted by the set of the ring forming fingers.

2. A mechanical binding comprising a tubular rib having integral ring forming fingers prmecting from one side, said rib having slots in the opposite side positioned and sized to receive the free ends of said ring forming fingers and said ring 5' forming fingers being fiexible and resilient and having a permanent set imparted thereto causing them to spring to a smaller diameter than that 1 produced when the ends of the fingers are enclose of their own tension, as soon as the dies relax their grip.

If desired, the opening dies may have guiding surfaces forlining up and directing the ring ends into the slots as the rings spring back-to closed relation or separate means may be provided for lining up and leading the ring ends into the rib slots;

The spring tensioned rings hold the leaves or filler securely in place-in the binding, but they may be pried or forced open, if desired, for removal and replacement of sheets or fillers.

The absence of hooks, notches or locking shoulders on the ends of the rings is an advantage in the placing and removal of leaves and fillers. The ends of the ring forming fingers may be perfectly smooth and rounded so as to favor easy passage through perforations in the sheets to be bound and entry into the slots in the tubular rib.

The construction is simple to manufacture and in addition to mechanical advantages is neat and attractive in appearance and therefore suited to the binding of more or less expensive printed or other material.

The opening dies and, if used, the closing dies may, if required, be heated and/or cooled, as necessary, to impart proper curvature and spring set to the ring forming fingers to leave them, in the final form, with the necessary bias in the ring closing direction.

What is claimed is:

1. The mechanical binding herein disclosed and comprising a tubular rib having integral ring forming fingers projecting from one side, said tubular rib having slots in the opposite side to receive the ends of the ring forming fingers and gaged in the slots and the end portions of said fingers being of a size to extend fully through said slots into engagement with the further interior wall of the tubular rib and whereby the ends of the fingers held by the spring tension of the fingers inv engagement with the far wall of the tubular rib Will maintain the rings of the same uniform size and shape.

3. The mechanical binding herein disclosed and comprising a tubular rib having integral ring forming fingers projecting from one side, said tubular rib having slots the .opposite side to receive the ends of the ring forming fingers and said ring forming fingers being flexible and springy in character and set to close to a diameter less than the ring diameter formed by entry of the ends of the fingers in the slots in the rib and REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,210,106 Tauber Aug. 6, 1940 2,371,198 Thoele Mar. 13, 1945 2,502,493

Trussell Apr. 4, 1950 

